


The Things We Don't Say

by Trammel



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, JARVIS is Awesome, Nightmares, Platonic Cuddling, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Science Bros, Science Bros Week 2015, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:12:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4118199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trammel/pseuds/Trammel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They never talked about it during the day. They never really talked about it at all. Only in the darkness could they speak of these things, if they spoke at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Things We Don't Say

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Darkness

They never talked about it during the day. They never really talked about it at all. Only in the darkness could they speak of these things, if they spoke at all.

The first time that Bruce had awoken from a horrendous nightmare to feel Tony's arms around him he couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe that Tony could trust him enough to get that close. Couldn't believe the feel of someone touching him not to hurt but to comfort. Tony's strong arms around him, letting Bruce shake against his shoulder while Bruce cried about the people he'd hurt.

And the Other Guy didn't say a thing. The Other Guy let Tony get close.

Tonight it was Tony's turn though. JARVIS had woken Bruce and informed him that Tony was caught in the grip of his nightmares again. Bruce gently crept into the huge bed in the penthouse. Tony was curled up, hugging his pillow as if it were a life raft, his face contorted in pain and fear.

This had happened so often now that Bruce could usually tell which hell Tony's nightmares had descended into. The desert, the water, the nuke, falling from space, the faces and cries of all those he had participated in killing… they both had such a wonderful repertoire to choose from.

But tonight. Tonight seemed different. Seemed worse somehow.

Bruce crawled over to Tony and gently wrapped himself around the other man, his chest against Tony's back, his arm moving around to gently rest on Tony's, his face pressed against Tony's hair. They'd gone beyond caring whether this was "normal" or "weird" or anything like that. Nothing in their lives was normal and at this point anything that eased the pain, as long as it didn't hurt anybody else, was good.

Tony's whole body jerked and he cried out; he was clearly still lost in his dreams.

"Shhhh. It's ok. You're ok," Bruce whispered into Tony's ear.

"No, no-" Tony's voice was small and broken, and fucking _terrified_. Bruce tightened his grip, holding Tony closer.

"You're safe. You're safe. Come on, Tony, wake up," Bruce said softly.

"No, Daddy, no! I'm sorry!" Tony jerked again and turned over, his head pressed against Bruce's chest, his hands clutching at Bruce's t-shirt. "I'm sorry!" He repeated it, like a litany, something he'd said so often in the past that it was automatic, burned into him.

Bruce wrapped his arms tightly around Tony, feeling him shake.

JARVIS's calm voice broke in. "Sir, Howard is not here. He is not here. You are safe." Ok, JARVIS had clearly dealt with this before. Bruce risked moving one hand up to softly stroke at Tony's hair.

"He's not here. I'm here. It's me."

Tony opened his eyes and stared at his hands clutching Bruce's t-shirt. He looked up at Bruce and the light from the reactor let Bruce see his eyes. The person Bruce saw was not the man he knew; it seemed like a scared, lost boy, just like the one Bruce felt in himself sometimes. Hell, most of the time.

Tony wasn't completely back from where he'd gone in his dreams. "I'm sorry," he said again, but it didn't seem directed at Bruce.

"Shh. It's fine. It's fine." As gently as he could, he used the hand on Tony's head to pull him back against his chest, Tony's face resting against Bruce's shoulder.

It was dark enough that Tony let himself cry. Bruce just held on, hoping to give Tony some of what Tony was able to give him, a moment of comfort, of trust, of safety.

Here in the darkness.


End file.
